About the report
Many LGBTIQ+ young people and children under 18 decide to leave their home or are forced out because of who they are. Yet, until today, there was no robust, comparable EU-wide evidence on LGBTIQ+ young people and children facing homelessness, living away from home or “going missing”, despite clear signals that identity-based rejection, unsafe environments and barriers to support can drive displacement and harm.
With this in mind, Missing Children Europe, IGLYO, and the University of Portsmouth’s new Young, Queer & Away from Home Study explores and addresses the experiences of LGBTIQ+ young people who faced homelessness, lived away from home or “went missing” before turning 18 in the EU or the UK on the one hand, and the experiences from youth workers and practitioners supporting them on the other hand.
Through an in-depth analysis of survey and interview responses with both these groups, the study first explores the reasons leading LGBTIQ+ youth to leave or be forced out and their experiences while away, before diving into the barriers they face when accessing support and current gaps in service response.
The report concludes with putting forward concrete and actionable recommendations for EU institutions, national governments and support services to prevent and address these situations, and ensure adequate support for LGBTIQ+ youth and children facing homelessness and exclusion.
You can download the full report here. You can also download only the Policy Recommendations here.
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About the Young, Queer and Away from Home Project
Young, Queer & Away from Home is a 2-year project studying the views and lived experiences of LGBTIQ+ young people who had to live away from their home before turning 18 in the EU or the UK (e.g. they were kicked out, ran away, were homeless, had to stay in a shelter or with friends/other relatives, etc). The project is co-led by Missing Children Europe, IGLYO — The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation, and the University of Portsmouth.
Through research, an online training for professionals, a resource hub, an awareness raising campaign and policy recommendations, we aim to support LGBTIQ+ young people and children under 18 who are at risk of homelessness and exclusion from their home, as well as to provide relevant professionals and service providers with the right tools to support them.
This report has been produced with the financial support of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) 2021-2027 Programme of the European Union. However, the contents of the report are the sole responsibility of the University of Portsmouth, Missing Children Europe & IGLYO and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.
